James Otis
The American Revolution Was a Constitutional Crisis
At its core, the American Revolution was a constitutional crisis. The British system of government during the colonial era was a constitutional system, but not in the same sense Americans think of it today. The constitution was not written, and in the British system,...
James Otis: The Founding Father of the Fourth Amendment
by Gary M. Galles February 5 marks the birth of the American who had the greatest hand in what became the 4th Amendment’s prohibition of unreasonable searches and seizures – James Otis. Unfortunately, “one of the most passionate and effective protectors of American...
The Massachusetts Circular Letter: A Springboard for Colonial Defiance
In 1767 colonial America, 20 years before the signing of the Constitution of the United States, and eight years before the first shots of the Revolution rang out in Lexington and Concord, the prelude to the revolt against British rule was already in full swing. The...
Government Officials Who Abuse Their Power Deserve Derision Not Respect
A lot of people say we should be respectful of politicians, even if we disagree with their actions. They say we should “respect the office.”’ That certainly isn’t how the American colonists treated British officials who were abusing their power. In 1767,...